Liquid gravity feed system

ABSTRACT

A liquid gravity feed system consisting of a nozzle connected to a liquid reservoir and carrying a clamping member to normally shut-off the flow of liquid to the nozzle. Contact between said nozzle and a syringe barrel will move the clamping member to permit the flow of liquid to the nozzle. Means are provided to regulate the rate of flow of the liquid to the nozzle when the clamping member is moved to permit the flow of liquid to the nozzle. The regulating means is adjusted out of regulating position when it is desired to replace or sterilize the connection between the reservoir and the nozzle.

United States Patent [191 Shields LlQUlD GRAVITY FEED SYSTEM [76]Inventor: Walter A. Shields, Jamaica, NY.

[22] Filed: Apr. 24, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 463,535

[ July 8,1975

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Frederick R.Handren [5 7 ABSTRACT A liquid gravity feed system consisting of anozzle connected to a liquid reservoir and carrying a clamp ing memberto normally shut-off the flow of liquid to the nozzle. Contact betweensaid nozzle and a syringe barrel will move the clamping member to permitthe flow of liquid to the nozzle. Means are provided to regulate therate of flow of the liquid to the nozzle when the clamping member ismoved to permit the flow of liquid to the nozzle. The regulating meansis adjusted out of regulating position when it is desired to replace orsterilize the connection between the reservoir and the nozzle.

3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PMEHTEUJUL 8 1925 brim FIG. I.

PATEFH'EU L I 8 I975 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG. 2.

PATHJTFDJUL FIG. 4

FIG. 3.

PMENTEDJUL 8 I975 SHEET 0F 4 FIG. 6.

FIG. 5.

LIQUID GRAVITY FEED SYSTEM The invention Comprises a slide reciprocatedbetween a reservoir for liquid and a conveyor for syringe barrels. Apairof nozzles are reciprocally supported by the slide to engage the syringebarrels equidistantly spaced on the conveyor and during the movement ofthe slide toward the conveyor. Said engagement of the nozzles with thesyringe barrels will move the nozzles from the conveyor independently ofthe slide. Clamping members are carried by the nozzles and yieldinglyurged toward anvils mounted on the slide and arranged to supportintermediate portions of flexible conduits connected to outlets of thereservoir and to the nozzles. The yielding force of the clamping memberswill squeeze the intermediate portions of the conduits against theanvils and shut-off the flow of liquid to the nozzles. The engagement ofthe nozzles with the syringe barrels will move the clamping members fromthe flexible conduits and permit the flow of liquid to the nozzles andthe filling of the syringe barrels. The rate of flow of liquid to thesyringe barrels is regulated by levers adjustably mounted on the slideand extended over the portions of the flexible conduits supported by theanvils. Adjustment screws are carried by brackets adjustably supportedby the slide. The adjustment screws are normally positioned by thebrackets to contact the levers and position the levers on the flexibleconduits to regulate the flow of liquid to the nozzles. The brackets areadjusted on the slide to position the adjustment screws out of contactwith the levers to per mit replacement or sterilization of the flexibleconduits.

In the drawings accompanying this application:

FIG. I is an elevational view of the system;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the slide. nozzles. clamping members, anvils.levers. adjustment screws and brackets;

FIG. 3 is a side view. on an enlarged scale, of the slide. a nozzle.clamping member, anvil and intermediate portion of a flexible conduit;

FIG. 4 is a front view looking at the right hand side of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side view, on an enlarged scale. of the slide, a lever.adjustment screw and bracket; and

FIG. 6 is a front view looking at the right hand side of FIG. 5.

The embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIG. 1, is supported on atable relative to a turret 8 secured on a shaft 9 rotatably supported bythe table and intermittently rotated by suitable means, not shown. Theturret 8 is arranged to be engaged by equidistantly spaced syringebarrels I0 supported by an annular platform 11 mounted on the table.

A slide I2 is reciprocally supported in a vertical standard 13 mountedon the table and said slide 12 is reciprocated toward and away from thetable by a cam disc 14 rotatably supported by a base 15 of the table andcontinuously rotated by a suitable source of power. not shown. Rotationof the cam disc 14 is transformed into reciprocation of the slide 12 byan arm 16 pivotally supported at one end by the table and having afollower I7 intermediate its ends and maintained in engagement with thecam disc 14 by a spring I8. The opposite end of the arm 16 is pivotallyconnected to the slide 12 by a rod 19.

A pair of nozzles 20 are carried by rods 2] slidingly supported inbrackets 22 mounted on the slide 12 in vertical alignment of the path oftravel of the syringe barrels I0 on the platform I I. The nozzles 20 areyieldingly urged toward the syringe barrels II) by springs 23 retainedin recesses 24 in the upper ends ofthe rods 2] by plugs 25 suspendedfrom a bracket 26 projecting from the front of the slide I2, as shown inFIGS. 2, 3 and 4. The slide 12 is actuated toward the syringe barrels I0during the period of rest of the turret 8 and said actuation of theslide I2 will engage the nozzles 20 with adjacent syringe barrels l0 andmove the rods 2! against the force of the springs 23.

A liquid reservoir 27 is supported above the bracket 26 by a post 28mounted on the standard 13, as shown in FIG. I. The reservoir 27 isprovided with outlets 29 connected to one end of flexible conduits, suchas hoses 30, and the opposite ends of the hoses 30 are connected to thenozzles 20, as at 3I. Intermediate portions of the hoses 30 aresupported by anvils 32 mounted on the slide I2 to cooperate withclamping members 33 carried by the nozzle rods 21 whereby saidintermediate portions of the hoses 30 are squeezed against the anvils 32by the clamping members 33 under the influence of the springs 23 and theflow of liquid is shut-off from the nozzles 20 with the slide I2positioned from the syringe barrels I0. When the slide 12 is actuatedtoward the syringe barrels l0 and the rods 21 are moved against thesprings 23 by the engagement of the nozzles 20 with said syringe barrels10, the clamping members 33 are lifted from the hoses 30 to permit aflow of liquid to the nozzles 20 and the filling of the syringe barrels10 positioned below said nozzles 20.

Downward movement of the rods 2] is limited by the hoses 30 and when thehoses 30 are removed to be sterilized, downward movement of the rods 2Iis limited by the clamping members 33 abutting the anvils 32.

The rate of flow of liquid to the nozzles 20 is regu lated by levers 34pivotally mounted on bolts 35 supported by the slide 12 and said levers34 are retained in adjusted position by screws 36 threaded in the bolts35. The levers 34 are laterally extended from the bolts 35 over theportions of the hoses 30 on the anvils 32 and said levers 34 areadjusted toward and away from the anvils 32 to vary the degree ofcompression of the hoses 30 by the levers 34 and the rate of flow ofliquid to the nozzles 20. This adjustment of the levers 34 isaceomplished by screws 37 adjustably mounted on brackets 38 adjustablymounted on the slide 12 by screws 39 threaded in the slide 12 andprovided with manipulating members 40.

To remove the hoses 30 for renewal or sterilization, the screws 39 areloosened to permit swinging of the brackets 38 to position the screws 37out of contact with the levers 34.

The number of nozzles and their component parts may vary according tothe manner of conveying the syringe barrels I0.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

I. In a liquid gravity feed system. a liquid reservoir having an outlet,a nozzle reciprocally supported below the reservoir. a flexible conduitconnecting the reservoir outlet to the nozzle, an anvil reciprocallymounted between the reservoir and the nozzle and supporting anintermediate portion of the flexible conduit, and a clamping membercarried by the nozzle above the anvil and yieldingly urged to squeezethe conduit against the anvil and close said conduit, whereby reciprocalmovement of the nozzle toward the reservoir will move the vary the spacebetween the lever and the anvil by the adjustment of the screw.

3. A liquid gravity feed system as claimed in claim 2. wherein thebracket is adjustably mounted on the slide to have adjustment toward andaway from the lever and position the screw out of contact with the leverto permit the removal of the conduit.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,895,600 Dated July 8, 1975 Inventor(s) Walter A. Shields It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Columns 2 and 5, Claim 1 should read as foll 1. In a liquid gravity feedsystem, a liquid reservoir having an outlet, a nozzle reciprocallysupported below the reservoir, a flexible conduit connecting thereservoir outlet to the nozzle, an anvil reciprocally mounted betweenthe reservoir and the nozzle and supporting an inter mediate portion ofthe flexible conduct, and a clamping member carried by the nozzle abovethe anvil and yieldingly urged to squeezethe conduit against the anviland the close the conduit, whereby reciprocal movement of the nozzletoward the reservoir will move the clamping member from the anvil andpermit the flow of liquid through the conduit from the reser-- voir tothe nozzle, a lever pivotally mounted and extended above the anvil incontact with the portion of the conduit supported by the anvil, andmeans to adjust said lever to vary the space between the lever and theanvil and regulate the rate of flow of liquid through the conduit.

Signed and Scaled this Fourteenth Day Of September 1976 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Aneslmg Officer (mnrm'sswm'r of Parentsand Tradmnarks

1. In a liquid gravity feed system, a liquid reservoir having an outlet,a nozzle reciprocally supported below the reservoir, a flexible conduitconnecting the reservoir outlet to the nozzle, an anvil reciprocallymounted between the reservoir and the nozzle and supporting anintermediate portion of the flexible conduit, and a clamping membercarried by the nozzle above the anvil and yieldingly urged to squeezethe conduit against the anvil and close said conduit, whereby reciprocalmovement of the nozzle toward the reservoir will move the clampingmember from the anvil and permit the flow of liquid through the conduitfrom the reservoir to the nozzle.
 2. A liquid gravity feed system asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the means to adjust the lever to vary thespace between the lever and the anvil comprises a bracket mounted on theslide above the lever, and a screw adjustably carried by the bracket tocontact the lever and vary the space between the lever and the anvil bythe adjustment of the screw.
 3. A liquid gravity feed system as claimedin claim 2, wherein the bracket is adjustably mounted on the slide tohave adjustment toward and away from the lever and position the screwout of contact with the lever to permit the removal of the conduit.